Is your dental office ready for kids? The summer months are the perfect time for many families to catch up on dental visits. There's no school schedule to plan around and summer activities are more flexible, so it can be easier to fit in dental appointments. As a result, your dental office should start preparing for an influx of kids.
Here are some tips on how to make your dental office kid-friendly:
Stock the box: Do you reward kids who are well-behaved during their visits to your office? If so, now is the time to make sure the treasure box is fully stocked. The last thing you want is to watch a child's smile fall as they realize there isn’t anything left.
Check the toothbrushes. Is your supply of toothbrushes running low? This is the time of year when you need them most! Make sure to check on these when you stock up on your treasure chest. Healthy habits start young—encourage a lifelong commitment to oral health by providing your pediatric patients with kid-friendly toothbrushes.
Hire extra staff if needed. If summer visits mean that your office is significantly busier, you may want to add to your staff to increase the number of hands available to keep kids moving through quickly.
Stock the waiting room. A few kid-friendly magazines or waiting room toys, such as building blocks or puzzles, will make even delays more pleasant for kids and their parents. Opt for durable items that can easily be sanitized to keep sickness from transmitting throughout your office. Using these tools is a great way to keep your patients entertained and calm.
Review your policies. Take time to review policies for pediatric patients with your staff. Do you make sure that kids don't have long delays in the chair? Is it important that a parent come back with the child for their visit? Make sure that your staff is all familiar with office policies before kids start arriving for the summer.
Examine your vacation schedule. Your patients aren't the only ones who want to enjoy a more flexible schedule. Many of your staff members will also want time off while the kids are out of school. Make sure that the vacation times are coordinated so that it won't leave your office understaffed during this busy time of year.
Preparing for the influx of kids who need dental work before summer hits will help make for a happier, more productive summer. Enjoy your stream of younger patients and the bright smiles that go with them. You could end up with lifetime patients coming through your door this summer.
